1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, for service in California and during the war with Mexico, was raised in 1846 during the Mexican American War by Jonathan D. Stevenson

Jonathan D. Stevenson

Jonathan Drake Stevenson was born in New York; won a seat in the New York State Assembly ; was the commanding officer of the First Regiment of New York Volunteers during the Mexican-American War in California; entered California mining and real estate businesses; and died in San Francisco on...

Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

The Pacific Coast Campaign refers to United States naval operations against targets along Mexico's Pacific Coast during the Mexican-American War. It excludes engagements of the California Campaign in Alta California. The objective of the campaign was to capture Mazatlan, a major Mexican seaport...

Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...

The Battle of La Paz was an engagement of the Pacific Coast Campaign during the Mexican-American War. The belligerents were United States Army troops against Mexican militia, commanded by Mexican Army officers...

The Siege of La Paz was a Mexican siege of their own city of La Paz in Baja California Sur. Mexican militia forces attempted to destroy the United States Army garrison, occupying the peninsular town...

and defeated local forces at the Skirmish of Todos Santos after the peace was negotiated in 1848. The Regiment was then evacuated from Baja California and disbanded in California on August, September and October 1848.

History

Originally formed as the 7th Regiment of New York Volunteers upon the request of President James K. Polk

James K. Polk

James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...

Jonathan Drake Stevenson was born in New York; won a seat in the New York State Assembly ; was the commanding officer of the First Regiment of New York Volunteers during the Mexican-American War in California; entered California mining and real estate businesses; and died in San Francisco on...

William Learned Marcy was an American statesman, who served as U.S. Senator and the 11th Governor of New York, and as the U.S. Secretary of War and U.S. Secretary of State.-Early life:...

directed Stevenson that the regiment should be composed of unmarried men, of good habits and varied pursuits, and such as would be likely to remain in California or adjoining territory at the close of the war.

The New York Legion departed New York 27 September 1846 aboard five ships, including the Susan Drew, LooChoo, and Thos H Perkins. Arriving in San Francisco 19 March 1847 companies D, E, G, and I were transported by store ship to the California Capital Monterey. From this post companies of the regiment were deployed by ship to lower California where they participated in the battles of La Paz

La Paz, Baja California Sur

La Paz is the capital city of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and an important regional commercial center. The city had a 2010 census population of 215,178 persons, but its metropolitan population is somewhat larger because of surrounding towns like el Centenario, el Zacatal and San Pedro...

, and the final sirmish of Todos Santos. It is said of Co. D "This Company was without doubt the last command of American troops to leave the soil of Mexico after the close of the Mexican War." During the regiments tour of service in California portions of the regiment were dispatched throughout California in search of Indian horse-thieves. Much of the 1st NY was disbanded in early 1848.

Many names

Formed as the 7th Regiment New York Volunteers

Commonly referred to in New York as the California Guard or the California Regiment.

Since the 7th NY was composed of infantry, calvary, and artillery the regiment was also called the New York Legion.

Finally re-designated in early 1848 by the War Department as the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers, for service in California and during the war with Mexico, now also called the 1st New York Legion.

However, this fact was not well known outside of California and thus another regiment formed in New York by Colonel Ward B. Burnett served in Mexico as the 1st Regiment New York Volunteers during the war but was re-designated by the War Department as the 2nd Regiment of New York Volunteers, for during the war with Mexico.

Field officers

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

Jonathan Drake Stevenson was born in New York; won a seat in the New York State Assembly ; was the commanding officer of the First Regiment of New York Volunteers during the Mexican-American War in California; entered California mining and real estate businesses; and died in San Francisco on...

Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

Staff officers

Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...

First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...

Henry C. Matsell. (Relinquished staff position to command his Company B, March 1847.)

Company A

First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...

Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...

, Charles Benjamin Young

Second Lieutenant, George Francis Lemon, (Post Adjutant)

Sergeant, Sherman O. Houghton.

Sergeant, Walter Chipman.

Sergeant, Edward Irwin.

Company B

Captain, James M. Turner (did not go to California)

First Lieutenant, Henry C. Matsell, (Former Adjutant, commanded Company B from March 1847.)

Theron R. Perlee or Per Lee, , lawyer, soldier, 49er, politician and judge in the territory and early state of California.Theron R. Perlee was born in Chenango County, New York. He studied law before he enlisted as a Lieutenant in Company C of the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers that came to...

.

Second Lieutenant, Charles C. Anderson, (died at San Francisco September 13, 1847).

Company D

Henry Morris Naglee was a civil engineer, banker, vintner, and a Union General in the American Civil War. Naglee was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1835....

Company H

Edward Gilbert was a Democratic California Politician. He was elected in November 1849 at-large as one of California's first two Representatives in the 31st Congress he was seated on September 11, 1850 and served until March 3, 1851. A newspaper editor after his service in Congress, he was killed...